Thanksgiving, an only child and Dinosaur Barbeque

We did it all this weekend. It was the usual holiday whirlwind through Syracuse. We saw three grandpas and three grandmothers. Played with uncles. Took a leisurely walk around Green Lakes. Went to the zoo. Spent a lot of quality time playing with cousins. Watched movies, and I even spent a little quiet time with my husband. He and I were able to slip away to sit and have a cocktail together. It was after dinner on Thanksgiving, so I ordered a tawny port. Every time I have the chance to drink a glass of port, I wonder why I don’t do it more often.
We arrived home, happy that we went but so glad to be back in Delmar. On Saturday night, both girls had sleepover birthday parties, so Elliot had the chance to be an only kid for a night. Paul and I decided to treat him to Dinosaur Barbeque. The Dinosaur in Syracuse is one of my favorite places in the world, and this one lives up to the name. We started with a beer and a root beer while we waited for our table. They have Saranac root beer on tap! It doesn’t get much better for my little guy. I had a hard time deciding on just one beer, so decided on a beer flight (how cool is that?) The four I chose were from New York: a porter, an IPA, a wheat beer and something called Dinosaur Ape Hanger. We ate smoked chicken wings, ribs and coleslaw, beans, cornbread and french fries. I was stuffed. There was room, though, for my pie. Yup, I baked a pie on Saturday. A pumpkin pie.
It’s the thing about having dinner at your mother-in-law’s house. You don’t have to clean, or spend days in the kitchen. But there are also no containers of mashed potatoes, no plates filled with leftover pie. And I couldn’t wait until next Thanksgiving to have another piece. I wanted to have a pie in my refrigerator and stand there with the door open, knife in hand, slicing thin pieces and eating them right from the dish. That’s Thanksgiving eating at its best. So if you didn’t get your fill of pie this Thanksgiving, go ahead. Bake yourself a pumpkin pie.
This one is Paul’s favorite. We make it every year, and even though I’m not a big coconut fan, I love this pie. Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Place pie crust in pie plate and trim the edges. Set aside. Mix together the pumpkin with the next 5 ingredients. Pour the mixture into the pie shell and bake in a preheated 350º oven for 50 minutes, or until the pie is set in the center. Allow to cool completely. It’s best to make this part of the pie the day before. Refrigerate overnight.
Before serving, whip the cream with the sugar and vanilla until stiff. Spread over the pie, and then sprinkle the coconut on top, making a thick, even layer.